Abstract: A disk drive having a magnetic recording disk with a safe zone is described. A surface texture of the safe zone induces the head to fly at a greater height than while over data zones of the disk.

Abstract: A carrier has openings for holding workpieces during polishing. Upper and lower polishing pads push against upper and lower surfaces of the workpieces, respectively. A ring is provided within the openings. This ring surrounds the workpieces, and prevents or reduces roll-off.

Abstract: A slider having a protrusion extending beyond an air bearing surface of the slider to maintain the slider with a positive pitch angle during contact with the surface of a disk. The protrusion may be disposed on a leading edge step of the slider body with the protrusion extending beyond the air bearing surface. The slider may be used in a load/unload disk drive system to provide a positive pitch attitude to the slider at all times during operations of the disk drive system.

Abstract: A method for texturing a substrate for a magnetic disk comprises abrading the substrate using nano-sized diamond particles (e.g. having a diameter less than or equal to 20 nm). A magnetic layer is then deposited over the substrate. Even when the texture is extremely smooth (e.g. less than about 2.2 ?Ra), the disk still exhibits good Hc and MrT orientation ratios, SNR and PW50.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described for gradually transitioning a slider from operation over a patterned data zone to landing on a patterned CSS zone. The ratio of raised area width to recessed area width of a pattern in a transition zone and/or CSS zone may be varied across the radial dimension of the disk. By changing the ratio of raised area width to recessed area width of the pattern in the transition from slider operation over the data zone to landing in the CSS zone, it is possible to gradually change the height of the slider from flying to non-flying conditions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for aligning a disk with an imprinting surface are described. In one embodiment, the apparatus has a die which includes an air-bearing mandrel having a tapered nose to engage an ID of the disk, a circular imprinting surface having a centerline concentric with the air-bearing mandrel, and an air-bearing cavity to position the disk. The axial movement of the top die towards the bottom die guides the ID of the disk into coincident alignment with the centerline of the top die.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, an underlayer, a lower magnetic layer formed on the underlayer, an intermediate layer, and an upper magnetic layer formed on the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer is typically Ru, and promotes antiferromagnetic coupling between the upper and lower magnetic layers. The upper and lower magnetic layers are typically Co alloys. The lower magnetic layer has a high saturation magnetization Ms to promote high exchange coupling between the upper and lower magnetic layers. The dynamic coercivity of the lower magnetic layer is lower than the exchange field to ensure rapid switching of the lower magnetic layer.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording disk having a soft magnetic film disposed between a substrate and a magnetic recording layer. The soft magnetic film includes a soft magnetic underlayer and one or more layer groups having a spacer layer and a soft magnetic layer disposed above the spacer layer in each layer group. The spacer layers induce anti-ferromagnetic coupling between the surrounding ferromagnetic layers. The spacer layers may be comprised of ruthenium. The soft magnetic layers may have a granular decoupled structured through the use of a segregate.

Abstract: A head is fabricated using photolithography, and the head is purposely powered up during a material removal process, such as lapping, so that the head's expansion (that would be formed on being powered up during normal usage in a drive) is planarized. Specifically, the head is energized in a manner identical (or similar) to energization of circuitry in the head during normal operation in a drive, even though fabrication of the head has not yet been completed. When energized, a shape that the head would have during normal operation is replicated (or approximated). Therefore, the head's shape includes a expansion of the pole tip region, although the head is only partially fabricated. Thereafter, a portion of the head in the expansion is partially or completely removed, by lapping while energized. The depth of material removal from the head is monitored e.g.

Abstract: A method for making a magnetic disk comprises forming first and second protective carbon layers on a magnetic layer. The first protective carbon layer is predominantly SP3 carbon. The second protective carbon layer comprises about 50% or less SP3 carbon. The second protective carbon layer is very thin, e.g. between 0.1 and 1.0 nm thick. A lubricant layer (e.g. a perfluoropolyether lubricant) is applied to the second protective carbon layer. The second protective carbon layer facilitates improved cooperation between lubricant and the disk.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for balancing a disk are described. A balance ring may be a circular band for placement along the inner diameter of a disk. On the outer diameter of the balance ring, one or more clamp structures may extend outward to attach the balance ring to the inner diameter of a disk. The inner diameter of the balance ring may have a number of protuberances that, when trimmed, establish a new rotational center of the disk/balance ring coincident with the mass center. The disk and balancing ring may be mounted on a disk balancing system to determine a mass center and trim the protuberances, accordingly, to establish adjust the rotational center of the disk/balance ring to be coincident with the mass center. The protuberances may be trimmed using, for example, laser energy.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium comprising a non-ferromagnetic substrate and a magnetic recording film formed on the substrate with an underlayer interposed therebetween, wherein the magnetic recording film comprises a plurality of magnetic layers and an interlayer made of a material having a B2 crystal structure or an interlayer made of Ru, disposed between the adjacent magnetic layers.

Abstract: A magnetic medium having at least two intermediate layers between an underlayer and a magnetic layer. The first intermediate layer is designed to provide a good lattice match to the underlayer, while the second intermediate layer is designed to provide a good lattice match to the magnetic layer. Typically, the underlayer has one structure, such as body centered cube, while the magnetic layer has a second structure such as hexagonal close pack. In preferred embodiments, the transition from the one structure to the other structure occurs in the intermediate layers. For example, the first intermediate layer may be a hexagonal close pack structure. Because of the mismatch between the underlayer and the first layer, there may be crystal defects in this first intermediate layer. However, any remaining stress and mismatch is absorbed through the second layer, so that the second layer presents a substantially defect-free surface on which the magnetic layer may grow.

Abstract: A head and disk system for use in a disk drive that includes a slider having a surface that contacts the disk. This disk contacting surface of the slider is textured with pads, bumps, an etched surface or an otherwise roughened surface. The contact area of the disk has a greater roughness than a data zone. The head disk system exhibits acceptable stiction. Additionally, low glide avalanche over the CSS zone, thus enabling low fly height, is achieved.

Abstract: A method for making a magnetic disk comprises forming first and second protective carbon layers on a magnetic layer. The first protective carbon layer is predominantly SP3 carbon. The second protective carbon layer comprises about 50% or less SP3 carbon. The second protective carbon layer is very thin, e.g. between 0.1 and 1.0 nm thick. A lubricant layer (e.g. a perfluoropolyether lubricant) is applied to the second protective carbon layer. The second protective carbon layer facilitates improved cooperation between lubricant and the disk.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for drying a disk-shaped substrate. The substrate is typically a substrate used for the manufacture of magnetic disks, and has a centrally located opening. The substrate is lowered into a liquid bath by a first holder, which also becomes immersed in the bath. The first holder lifts the substrate until the substrate extends partially out of contact with the liquid. A second, dry holder grabs a dry portion of the substrate that extends out of the bath, and continues to lift the substrate out of contact with the liquid.

Abstract: An apparatus and method write data to a storage medium, and subsequently automatically refresh the data to avoid loss of the data due to spontaneous thermal degradation. The apparatus and method may check whether an indicator (also called “refresh indicator”) if saved contemporaneous with writing of the data satisfies a predetermined condition indicating that the data needs to be refreshed. If so, a “refresh” operation is performed, wherein the to-be-refreshed data is read from and written back to the same storage medium. The refresh indicator can be any parameter that indicates a need to refresh the data prior to occurrence of one or more soft errors. In one example, the apparatus and method read the data back contemporaneous with writing of the data, and measure an amplitude of a readback signal and store, as the refresh indicator, a predetermined fraction (e.g. half) of the measured value (i.e., a threshold number).

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, an underlayer, a lower magnetic layer formed on the underlayer, an intermediate layer, and an upper magnetic layer formed on the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer is typically Ru, and promotes antiferromagnetic coupling between the upper and lower magnetic layers. The upper and lower magnetic layers are typically Co alloys. The lower magnetic layer has a high saturation magnetization Ms to promote high exchange coupling between the upper and lower magnetic layers. The dynamic coercivity of the lower magnetic layer is lower than the exchange field to ensure rapid switching of the lower magnetic layer.

Abstract: A method for drying a disk-shaped substrate. The substrate is typically a substrate used for the manufacture of magnetic disks, and has a centrally located opening. The substrate is lowered into a liquid bath by a first holder, which also becomes immersed in the bath. The first holder lifts the substrate until the substrate extends partially out of contact with the liquid. A second, dry holder grabs a dry portion of the substrate that extends out of the bath, and continues to lift the substrate out of contact with the liquid.

Abstract: A Co-Pt based magnetic alloy which has been doped with a relatively high amount of nitrogen, e.g., or above 1 at. % is obtained having high coercivity, for example in the range of 1400 Oe or above, and an increased signal-to-noise ratio as compared to the same Co-Pt based alloy which has not been doped with nitrogen. The alloy is vacuum deposited, for example, by sputtering, and the nitrogen may be introduced from the sputtering gas or from the sputtering target. Other low-solubility elements providing the grain uniformity and isolation include: B, P, S, C, Si, As, Se and Te.